With the objective of promoting local handicraft products, youth and women subcommittee of Padmavatee Saving and Credit Co-operative Society is organising a handicraft festival from May 13 to 14.

“The festival will be an open platform which provides opportunity to hidden talents in the community,” said Nem Bir Shakya, president of the society, adding that such move is to slap those “black spots to the spirit of cooperatives”.

An integrated mobilisation of local resources and skill in an effective manner through community-based cooperatives could play a key role on economic development which eventually leads to the entire nation becoming economically prosperous and morally disciplined, Shakya added.

As Patan is widely known for its traditional and architectural handiworks, there will be widespread of handicrafts ranging from wooden crafts to metal crafts, typical Newari food items, traditional and cultural showpieces, informed Bikram Shakya, coordinator publicity sub-committee. He said the festival will also include health camp and second-hand clothes sale at voluntary cost. The two day fair is expected to attain about 10,000 visitors.

Speaking on the occasion, Kailash Bhakta Pradhananga, president of Nepal Federation of Savings and Credit Union (NEFSCUN) expressed his concern over growing malpractices in the cooperative movement.

Stating that community-based cooperatives have already achieved a momentous success at managing local capital, Pradhananga argued that a widespread misunderstanding on cooperatives is due to uncontrolled entry of profiteers with profit making vested interests rather than social service.